


A perfect life

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Friendship/Love, Gen, Good Life, Missing Scene, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 20:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Neal tells Sara in E07S03 about the time in his life he was happy.





	A perfect life

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the ‘Perfect date Fest’ on April 25th (the perfect date). If you don´t get the reference, check out the end of the story.
> 
> Translation of the newspaper article Neal is reading in Le Monde can be found at the end of the story. Remember French, Italian and English are not my native languages, if something needs correcting, let me know.

**…**

_“The Palazzo Sasso in Ravello. In another life I’d stayed there forever.”_

_“Sounds perfect. Why’d you leave?”_

_“I got word that Europol was closing in for a score I allegedly ran in Corsica.”_

_…_

_“It wasn´t just the hotel.”_

_“It was a time in my life when I had everything I was looking for. Freedom, Excitement, Comfort… and the right people to share it with.”_

 

* *  *

 

 

The headline in Le Monde attracts Neal´s attention. He starts reading the article.

****

**_Peintures inestimables volées en Corse_ **

_Un vol de peintures a été commis à Ajaccio, en Corse. Les nouvelles sur le vol ont été libérées seulement hier, mais le vol a été commis il ya deux semaines._ _Les œuvres volées sont:_ _\- Une Madone avec enfant par Bellini_ _\- L'atelier à la source de la rivière Pactolus Poussin_ _\- Pentecôte Maiotto di Nardo_ _\- Une Madone et un enfant dans une gloire de séraphins._ _Ce sont des œuvres d'une grande beauté. Le vol s'élèvera à plusieurs millions d'euros. Le voleur a été identifié comme le gardien du musée. Lorsque l'homme a avoué, la police a localisé la voiture de l'homme dans laquelle - il leur a dit - , les œuvres d’art se trouveraient. Il avait l'intention de faire chanter la ville. Quand la police est arrivée, ils ont trouvé la voiture avec le pare-brise enlevé._ _Les peintures avaient disparu._

“Neal!”

Neal looks up and smiles. He closes the newspaper and gets up from under the parasol. Kate looks ravishing in the bikini they bought in Rome. He gestures to the waiter to come over.

“Due volte Risotto con misto di pesce fresco e Moët rosa, per favore.”

The waiter nods and leaves again.

Neal continues his way to the pool where Kate is floating. It is a gorgeous pool with blue tiles. He dives in and pops up next to her, lifting her out of the water. She laughs, they kiss and Neal is content.

Kate pulls him under and they start kissing again, only coming up when they ran out of air.

 

 

If someone would ask him what his perfect day looks like, he would describe this. He is happy. He looks around. The hotel Mozzie picked is simply gorgeous, he booked them two suits. A lot can be said about Mozzie, but he knows the things that make life more enjoyable.

Neal can see the brunch arriving at their table and he pulls Kate with him towards their lounge chairs next to the pool. He drapes a soft, fluffy towel around Kate´s shoulders before he pulls her chair out.

Mozzie won´t be back for another two days. He is scouting out a new job. The Corsica job went well, but that was two weeks ago and Neal is getting a bit anxious again. The paintings they stole were an order, so they are long gone and payment received for. The money is deposited on one of their offshore accounts and they are taking a break. It is June and the weather is already nice, not too hot, just right.

Neal loves Europe, he loves the culture, the food, the people. But how much he wanted the break after working non-stop on a couple of jobs, he also wants something to do and they can´t live on the earnings forever, so he asked Mozzie to be on the lookout for something interesting and challenging.

Neal can still not believe their luck. They had been planning the job for several weeks, but there was one uncertainty. Mozzie had explained that there was a risk and that Europol would eventually figure it out. But before they could steal the paintings, the keeper of the museum took them, and the guy left they in his car. It only took Neal and Mozzie a couple of minutes to take out the windshield of the car. No noise, no attention, they were dressed like car mechanics, nobody would be the wiser. Neal wore sunglasses, possible witnesses would only able to describe their height and general appearance, not details.

The paintings had been shipped out, before the man had been arrested, confessed and the police came looking for the paintings.

Mozzie and Neal took the ferry to Firenze, where they spent some time in the city, visiting museums, enjoying the delicious foods and wines.

After some days laying low and getting a feel for local law enforcement, they took the train to Rome where Neal picked up Kate from the airport. She had flown in under an alias, so they were safe on that front as well. Mozzie travelled alone to Ravello by car.

Kate and Neal stayed a couple of days in the capital as a young couple in love. Neal rented a Vespa to do some sightseeing. They made love in the tiny hotel room they booked, just around the corner of the Trevi Fountain. Neal even threw in a coin, just to make sure his luck wouldn´t turn.

They acted like the young couple in love they were, visiting the sights, the shops, the Vatican, before travelling to Ravello and meeting up with Mozzie. Neal was immediately smitten by the hotel Mozzie picked and Kate and he had been separated for some time, so Kate was just happy to be with Neal.

The food and wines are incredible, the company even better than family and with the money they can spend, the word NO doesn´t exist.

“You want to take the boat out this afternoon?” Neal gestures to the dock where a gorgeous Riva Aquarama floats next to the quay.

“Where are we going?”

“Nowhere in particular, just find a remote place, where there is nobody else, just you, me, a bottle of champagne.” Neal waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Sounds fun. Can we bring the snorkeling gear?”

“Of course my love, I will have them ready the boat for us.” Neal smiles.

 

This is the life Neal imagined he would have when he was a young and running away. This is his life, what more can he want? He can stay here forever.

 

 

 

 

 

The perfect date reference:

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Translation newspaper article:
> 
> Priceless paintings stolen in Corsica.
> 
> A theft of paintings was committed in Ajaccio, Corsica. The news about the theft was only release yesterday, but the theft was committed two weeks ago.  
> The works stolen are:  
> \- A Madonna with child by Bellini  
> \- The Midas at the source of the river Pactolus Poussin  
> \- Pentecost Maiotto di Nardo  
> \- A Madonna and child in a glory of seraphim.  
> They are works of great beauty. The theft will amount to several millions of dollars. The thief is identified as the keeper of the museum. When the man confessed, police located the man´s car in which he told them, the art would be. He was planning to blackmail the city. When police arrived they found the car with a removed windshield. The paintings were gone.


End file.
